SEC Schedule Breakdown: Part 1

Vols have tough four-game stretch to open season

Published: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at 7:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at 12:11 a.m.

It's not unusual for an NFL coach to break a season up into four-game stretches. College coaches tend not to do that because the regular season is four games shorter and every game matters. But we can do it.

So this is the first of three parts in a series that ranks the SEC teams from 1-to-14 based on how tough their schedules are — first four, second four, final four. Sounds like a basketball tournament.

1. Tennessee: Utah State, Arkansas State, at Oklahoma, at Georgia.

Just the way you want to start the season — against a team that has won 20 games the last two years and has a senior quarterback who is a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate. The last two games speak for themselves.

2. South Carolina: Texas A&M, East Carolina, Georgia, at Vanderbilt.

No breathers in the first third for Steve Spurrier. ECU is a dangerous game in between the two tough games, but the good news is the first three are at home where USC has won 18 in a row.

3. Georgia: Clemson, at South Carolina, Troy, Tennessee.

Nobody has a tougher first two games than the Bulldogs, especially after the tumultuous offseason they have had. And don't forget, the Vols took Georgia to OT last year.

<p>It's not unusual for an NFL coach to break a season up into four-game stretches. College coaches tend not to do that because the regular season is four games shorter and every game matters. But we can do it. </p><p> So this is the first of three parts in a series that ranks the SEC teams from 1-to-14 based on how tough their schedules are — first four, second four, final four. Sounds like a basketball tournament.</p><p><b>1. Tennessee:</b> Utah State, Arkansas State, at Oklahoma, at Georgia.</p><p><li> Just the way you want to start the season — against a team that has won 20 games the last two years and has a senior quarterback who is a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate. The last two games speak for themselves.</p><p><b>2. South Carolina:</b> Texas A&M, East Carolina, Georgia, at Vanderbilt.</p><p><li> No breathers in the first third for Steve Spurrier. ECU is a dangerous game in between the two tough games, but the good news is the first three are at home where USC has won 18 in a row.</p><p><b>3. Georgia:</b> Clemson, at South Carolina, Troy, Tennessee.</p><p><li> Nobody has a tougher first two games than the Bulldogs, especially after the tumultuous offseason they have had. And don't forget, the Vols took Georgia to OT last year.</p><p><b>4. Arkansas:</b> At Auburn, Nicholls State, at Texas Tech, Northern Illinois.</p><p><li> The opener is tough enough, but it will be tough for the Razorbacks to win in Lubbock. And Northern Illinois is no automatic win for a team that went 0-8 in the SEC last year.</p><p><b>5. Alabama:</b> West Virginia (Atlanta), Florida Atlantic, Southern Miss, Florida.</p><p><li> The Mountaineers can't be as bad as last year's 4-8 record, but we still aren't sure how good they can be. Then, Nick Saban has two games to get his quarterback ready for Florida.</p><p><b>6. Auburn:</b> Arkansas, San Jose State, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech.</p><p><li> It's always difficult to open with a conference game, because they feel different. The big X-factor here is K-State, it's a Thursday night road game.</p><p><b>7. LSU:</b> Wisconsin (Houston), Sam Houston, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Mississippi State. </p><p><li> Three home games and one that will feel like a home game. Tough opener for a new quarterback could dictate how this season goes.</p><p><b>8. Vanderbilt:</b> Temple, Ole Miss, UMass, South Carolina.</p><p><li> Coach Derek Mason has to like four straight home games to start the season. But two of them are against teams who have a shot to win their respective divisions. Don't sleep on Ole Miss.</p><p><b>9. Texas A&M:</b> At South Carolina, Lamar, Rice, at SMU.</p><p><li> When Oklahoma coach Bobby Stoops made fun of A&M's non-conference schedule, he wasn't kidding. But to open in Columbia is as tough as any team starts the season.</p><p><b>10. Ole Miss:</b> Boise State (Atlanta), at Vanderbilt, Louisiana-Lafayette, Memphis.</p><p><li> The Rebels open the season against two teams who have had great success, but have also lost their coaches. </p><p><b>11. Florida:</b> Idaho, Eastern Michigan, Kentucky, at Alabama.</p><p><li> Certainly, playing in Tuscaloosa is as tough as it gets, but the other three games should be warm-ups for Will Muschamp's team.</p><p><b>12. Kentucky:</b> UT Martin, Ohio, at Florida, Vanderbilt.</p><p><li> The Wildcats want to get back to a bowl and their non-conference schedule should help. </p><p><b>13. Mississippi State:</b> Southern Miss, UAB, at South Alabama, at LSU.</p><p><li> Anyone not picking the Bulldogs to be 3-1 after their first four games?</p><p><b>14. Missouri:</b> South Dakota State, at Toledo, UCF, Indiana.</p><p><li> All four non-conference games to start the season. UCF isn't the same team it was last year.</p>